The Party and State have always identified the working class as a vital force in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland

Esteemed comrades of the Central delegation,

Esteemed current and former leaders of the Party, State, Vietnam Fatherland Front, Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, central-level committees, ministries, sectors, and Ho Chi Minh City,

Dear trade union officials, workers, and laborers,

Today, as the entire country looks forward to commemorating the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day on April 30 and International Workers’ Day on May 1, I am very pleased to visit, meet, and talk with workers and laborers in Ho Chi Minh City.

I and the delegation have come here to inquire about your lives, employment, and living conditions; to listen to your thoughts, aspirations, difficulties, and hardships in daily life; and at the same time to share with you the deep concern and affection of the Party, State, Vietnam Fatherland Front, trade unions, and the Party committees and authorities of Ho Chi Minh City toward the working class and laborers—especially those who continue to face many difficulties, illness, low incomes, cramped housing, challenges in providing education for their children, and many burdens in life.

Dear comrades and all workers,

Through practical observations, reports from the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour and Ho Chi Minh City, as well as the sincere sharing of workers today, I deeply sympathize with your difficulties and feel the responsibility of the Party, State, trade unions, and myself toward the challenges faced by workers and laborers.

I am moved to see so many inspiring examples here. There are workers who, despite difficult circumstances and even serious illnesses, have remained resilient, optimistic, continued working, cared for their families, and refused to surrender to hardship. There are workers who are eager to learn, hardworking, creative, and have contributed many technical improvement initiatives that benefit enterprises and improve labor productivity. There are trade union officials who quietly and devotedly visit workers’ boarding houses, factories, and families day and night to understand their difficulties, mobilize support, and provide assistance in times of hardship.

These stories are simple but deeply valuable. They reflect the beauty of today’s Vietnamese workers: diligence, perseverance, resilience, responsibility, love for family, solidarity with colleagues, attachment to enterprises, trade unions, and the nation.

I am also pleased to see that, in recent times, trade unions at all levels, Ho Chi Minh City authorities, enterprises, and the wider community have carried out many practical activities to care for workers and laborers. Numerous programs supporting housing, healthcare, gifts for disadvantaged workers, assistance for workers’ children, and support for those suffering from serious illnesses, workplace accidents, or job losses have been implemented. Although these efforts have not yet resolved all difficulties, they are warm and humane, reflecting the good nature of our system: ensuring that no one is left behind.

However, I also deeply share the difficulties and shortages that workers continue to face. Many still have to rent small rooms with limited and cramped living conditions. Many worker families remain concerned about schools for their children, healthcare services, living expenses, prices, meals, transportation, occupational safety, and traffic safety. Some work hard all year but are unable to accumulate much savings. Some easily fall into hardship when illness, disease, or family difficulties arise.

These issues must be faced directly, listened to carefully, and addressed with responsibility and compassion. Caring for workers is not merely about providing material assistance during holidays and festivals; more importantly, it means creating stable employment, better incomes, safer working environments, decent housing, accessible schools, closer healthcare services, and richer cultural and spiritual lives. Workers must enjoy increasingly better living conditions, commensurate with their great contributions to enterprises, the city, and the country.

Dear workers,

The Party and State have always identified the working class as a vital force in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland. Throughout every stage of the revolutionary process, Vietnamese workers have been present in difficult and challenging places—on construction sites, in factories, industrial zones, manufacturing, services, transportation, technology, processing, and production sectors. The hands, minds, sweat, and creativity of workers have contributed to the development achievements that the country has attained today.

Ho Chi Minh City is a major economic hub of the country and a place that attracts a large number of workers from many regions. Many of you have left your hometowns to build a career in the city, accepting separation from families, parents, and familiar lands in order to work, raise children, send money back home, and contribute to the country’s overall development.

Every boarding room with lights still on after a work shift, every hurried meal, every early morning commute, every small initiative on the factory floor, and every hour of overtime embodies the silent sacrifices of workers.

The Party, State, and Ho Chi Minh City authorities understand this, appreciate this, and have the responsibility to care for workers even better.

I request that Ho Chi Minh City continue to regard caring for workers and laborers as an important, regular, and long-term political task. The city should more thoroughly review the demand for social housing, workers’ accommodation, schools, kindergartens, medical stations, cultural facilities, and community spaces in industrial parks, export processing zones, and areas with large worker populations.

We must ensure that workers not only have jobs but also stable housing; not only have income but also conditions to raise their children and care for their parents back home; not only work but also have opportunities to rest, study, enjoy cultural activities, and improve their spiritual lives.

I request trade unions at all levels to stay even closer to workers, understand them better, represent their voices, and effectively protect their legitimate rights and interests. Trade unions must be present promptly when workers face difficulties, illness, unpaid wages, job losses, workplace accidents, or life challenges. Trade unions should not only organize movements but truly become a warm home and a trusted support for members, workers, and laborers.

I also request enterprises and employers to pay greater attention to their workers. Workers are not merely employees; they are partners accompanying enterprises. For sustainable development, enterprises must care for their workers; ensure wages, benefits, working conditions, and occupational safety; listen to initiatives, respect dignity, and create opportunities for learning and improving skills.

When workers feel secure, committed, and proud of their workplace, enterprises will also become stronger, more stable, and capable of long-term development.

I highly appreciate and encourage workers’ opinions and proposals regarding continued skills training, investment in science and technology, and promotion of innovation and creativity. These efforts contribute to enterprise development, higher labor productivity, improved incomes, and better living standards for the people.

I also welcome and accept recommendations that wages must ensure workers’ living conditions.

Dear workers,

Our country is entering a new stage of development with many opportunities but also numerous difficulties and challenges. Science and technology are changing rapidly; requirements for productivity, quality, and professional skills are increasingly demanding.

Therefore, I hope workers will continue to maintain confidence, solidarity, and the will to advance; actively pursue vocational training, improve skills, cultivate industrial working styles, labor discipline, digital skills, and foreign languages when possible.

Each worker should strive to learn at least one new skill, perform their work better every day, confidently propose initiatives, improve technical processes, save materials, ensure safety, and enhance product quality.

Innovation is not something distant or abstract. Innovation can begin with a more efficient operation, a more scientific production arrangement, an idea that saves time, reduces accidents, eases workloads, or increases productivity.

Such simple initiatives, when valued and replicated, can create tremendous strength for enterprises, the economy, and the nation.

I also hope that, despite ongoing difficulties, workers will continue to take care of their health, nurture their families, raise their children, live with compassion, solidarity, and mutual support in boarding houses, factories, and communities. Vietnamese workers are not only skilled laborers but are also admired for their hearts, humanity, and willingness to share in difficult times.

Dear comrades and workers,

Today’s meeting is not merely a visit of encouragement. It is also a reminder that behind growth targets, factories, industrial parks, and production lines are the concrete lives of each worker, each worker family, each child of workers, and each parent waiting at home.

Every sound policy, practical action, and timely concern can help a family overcome hardship, give a sick person more strength, provide a child with better opportunities to attend school, and give workers greater confidence in the future.

I believe that, with the compassionate tradition of Ho Chi Minh City, with the responsibility of Party committees, authorities, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, trade unions, enterprises, and the entire society, the lives of workers and laborers will continue to improve.

I also believe that workers and laborers in Ho Chi Minh City will continue to promote their traditions of diligence, creativity, solidarity, and compassion; taking good care of their families while making worthy contributions to the development of the city named after President Hồ Chí Minh and the beloved country of Vietnam.

I will take note of and thank workers’ recommendations and proposals. I believe these recommendations are highly appropriate and aligned with the Party’s guidelines and the State’s policies in the coming period regarding labor, national development, and improving people’s living standards.

On this occasion, I extend my warm greetings to all workers and laborers in Ho Chi Minh City and throughout the country, wishing you good health, happiness, and success.

May all worker families enjoy good health, prosperity, peace, and happiness.

May trade unions continue to grow stronger and truly become a trusted support for workers and the working class.

May Ho Chi Minh City continue to develop dynamically, civilly, and compassionately, always taking the lead in caring for people’s lives, especially workers facing difficulties.

I wish all comrades, workers, and laborers good health.

Thank you sincerely.

*Headline created by The People’s Deputies Newspaper.

Hong Nhung